Label dispenser for product-transporting carts at retail facilities

ABSTRACT

A label dispenser coupled to product-transporting carts at retail facilities includes a label roll support arm supporting multiple label rolls thereon, a label guide arm including openings that permit a leading portion of the backing substrate of a label roll to pass therethrough, and a side wall interconnecting the label roll support arm and the label guide arm. The label guide arm also includes an upper portion located above the openings and configured to support the backing substrates of the label rolls thereon. The label guide arm further includes an edge configured to facilitate separation of a leading peelable label from the backing substrate in response to a force applied by the user when pulling the leading portion of the backing substrate of the label roll through the opening of the label guide arm.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.63/033,096, filed Jun. 1, 2020, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to label dispensers and, inparticular, to multi-roll label dispensers for dispensing labels to beattached to product packaging at retail facilities.

BACKGROUND

Retail facility workers routinely attach labels to product packagingsuch as boxes, totes, and the like. In addition, it is common forworkers to transport products, boxes, and totes usingproduct-transporting carts referred to as either order filling carts orpicking carts.

During order fulfillment (e.g., online order fulfillment), the workersare often tasked with placing labels on product packaging to identifyspecific handling instructions (e.g., fragile, heavy, refrigerated,frozen, etc.) for certain products. This task is typically performed bya worker having several label rolls or several label roll dispensers onthe cart and interchangeably hand-picking a label roll or a labeldispenser as appropriate for a given package, peeling off a label fromthe selected label roll, placing the peeled label on the package, andthen placing the label roll back or dispenser back onto the cart.

If four different types of labels need to be distributed by the workeramong the packages, the worker would have to interchangeably pick up andput down four different label rolls and peel labels therefrom, which isnot efficient. A more efficient solution that overcomes this issue isneeded.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Disclosed herein are embodiments of systems and apparatuses pertainingto label roll dispensers for dispensing labels from one or more labelrolls. This description includes drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a label dispenser according to someembodiments coupled to an exemplary product-transporting cart;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front perspective view of the label dispenser ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front perspective view showing in more detail howthe label dispenser of FIG. 1 is mounted to the support bar of theproduct-transporting cart of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the label dispenser of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is the same view as in FIG. 3, but showing the label dispenserwith four label rolls thereon;

FIG. 6 is the same view as in FIG. 5, but showing only one label roll onthe label dispenser and showing a hand of a user pulling the leadingportion of the backing substrate of the label roll through the openingin the label dispenser in the direction shown by the arrow to initiatethe separation of the label from the backing substrate of the labelroll;

FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of the label dispenser of FIG. 6,shown with the leading portion of the backing substrate of the labelroll having been pulled further down by the hand of the user than inFIG. 6 to separate more of the label from the from the backing substrateas compared to FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the label dispenser, shown withthe label having been fully separated from the backing substrate, andwith the label being pulled in the direction of the arrow to detach thetrailing end of the label from the body of the label dispenser.

Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity andhave not been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/orrelative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may beexaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understandingof various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common butwell-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commerciallyfeasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a lessobstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention.

Certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in aparticular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art willunderstand that such specificity with respect to sequence is notactually required. The terms and expressions used herein have theordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressionsby persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above exceptwhere different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but ismade merely for the purpose of describing the general principles ofexemplary embodiments. Reference throughout this specification to “oneembodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connectionwith the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of thepresent invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,”“in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specificationmay, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

Generally speaking, pursuant to various embodiments, a multi-label rolllabel dispenser that may be coupled to a product-transporting cart oranother support surface to facilitate a worker at a retail facility inefficiently dispensing labels from different label rolls and attachingthe labels to product packaging.

In one embodiment, a system for dispensing labels from at least onelabel roll includes a cart for transporting consumer products, the cartincluding a support bar coupled thereto and a label dispenser mounted onthe support bar and configured to facilitate a user to dispense thelabels from the at least one label roll. The at least one label rollincludes a backing substrate and peelable labels detachably attached tothe backing substrate. The label dispenser includes a label roll supportarm configured to support at least one label roll thereon, the labelroll support arm including a hollow interior configured to permit ahorizontal portion of the support bar to pass therethrough and a notchconfigured to permit an inclined distal portion of the support bar topass therethrough. The label dispenser further includes a label guidearm including an upper portion configured to support a downward-facingsurface of the backing substrate of the at least one label roll thereonand a lower portion. The lower portion of the label guide arm of thelabel dispenser includes at least one opening configured to permit aleading portion of the backing substrate of the at least one label rollto pass therethrough. The label guide arm of the label dispenser furtherincludes an edge configured to facilitate separation of a leadingpeelable label of the at least one label roll from an outward-facingsurface of the backing substrate at the leading portion of the backingsubstrate of the at least one label roll in response to a force appliedby the user to the leading portion of the backing substrate of the atleast one label roll pull the leading portion of the backing substrateof the at least one label roll through the at least one opening of thelabel guide arm. The label dispenser includes a side wallinterconnecting the label roll support arm and the label guide arm. Theside wall includes a gap permitting a vertical portion of the supportbar to pass therethrough.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a system 100 for dispensing labels 195from one or more label rolls 190. The exemplary system 100 in FIG. 1includes a label dispenser 120 coupled to a cart 110 that may be used byworkers of retail facilities for transporting consumer products (e.g.,non-consumable goods such as glassware and consumable goods such asgrocery items) that are typically offered for sale to consumers atretail facilities. As used herein, the term “retail facility” may referto any place of business such as a store, warehouse, sorting facility,and/or distribution facility where consumer products may be stocked,and/or sold, and/or shipped to, and/or shipped from.

The label dispenser 120 may be manufactured from various materialsincluding but not limited to one or more polymers, co-polymers, and/orplastic materials. In some embodiments, the label dispenser 120 is madeusing a manufactured mold or from a 3D model using a 3D printer. In someaspects, the label dispenser 120 may have a general overall length about150 mm and a general overall width of about 70 mm.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the label dispenser 120 isdetachably coupled to the cart 110 via a support bar 112, which in turnis fixedly (i.e., non-detachably) mounted to a support surface 111(e.g., a panel) of the cart 110. The term “non-detachably” will beunderstood to be an attachment that is not meant to be detached. Inparticular, as can be seen in FIG. 1, the support bar 112 is mounted tothe support surface 111 of the cart 110 via a bracket 113, which may befixedly attached to the support surface 111 by any suitable means,including but not limited to welding, fasteners and the like. Thesupport bar 112 may in turn be fixedly attached to the bracket 113 bywelding, one or more threaded nuts, or other suitable means.

While the label dispenser 120 is shown in FIG. 1 as being coupled to thecart 110, it will be appreciated that the label dispenser may be coupledto a support bar mounted to any suitable stationary support structure,for example, a wall, a shelf, or a cabinet. It will also be appreciatedthat, in certain implementations, the label dispenser 120 may be coupledto a portable (e.g., hand-held) device (which may include a support barakin to the support bar 112) that would allow the worker to carry thelabel dispenser 120 independently of the cart 110.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the exemplary support bar 112 isgenerally U-shaped and has a first horizontal portion 114 that isattached to the bracket 113, a vertical portion 116 extending generallydownwardly from, and generally perpendicularly to the horizontal portion114. The support bar 112 also includes a second horizontal portion 118extending generally perpendicularly to the vertical portion 116 andgenerally in parallel to the first horizontal portion 114. As can beseen in FIG. 3, the horizontal portion 118 of the support bar 112supports the label dispenser 120 thereon. FIG. 3 also shows that thesupport bar 112 has a distal portion 119 that is angled upwardly (i.e.,forming an incline) relative to the horizontal portion 118 of thesupport bar 112. Without wishing to be limited to theory, the inclineddistal portion 119 of the support bar 112 may prevent/restrict the labeldispenser 120 from sliding off the support bar 112 and may alsoprevent/restrict the label rolls 190 from sliding off the labeldispenser 120.

The illustrated label dispenser 120 includes a label roll support arm122, which is generally in the shape of an elongated cylinder to permitone or more label rolls 190 to be supported and freely rotate thereon.In the illustrated embodiment, the label roll support arm 122 has ahollow interior 124 sized and shaped to permit the horizontal portion118 of the support bar 112 of the cart 110 to pass therethrough, suchthat the label dispenser 120 is fully supported by the support bar 112alone, with the label roll support arm 122 resting on it, as shown inFIG. 3.

The label dispenser 120 also includes a side wall 130 attached to thelabel roll support arm 122 and interconnecting the label roll supportarm 122 and a label guide arm 160 of the label dispenser 120, which willbe discussed in more detail below. With reference to FIG. 4, the sidewall 130 of the label dispenser 120 includes a top edge 133, a bottomedge 134 opposite the top edge 133, a rear edge 136, and a front edge138. The top edge 133 and bottom edge 134 of the side wall 130 of theexemplary label dispenser 120 may be horizontal or angled to give theside wall 130 a generally forwardly wedged contour. The exemplary sidewall 130 has a rear edge 136 that is generally vertical and generallyperpendicular to the top edge 133 and to the bottom edge 134. The frontedge 138 of the side wall 130 is generally arcuate from its top end toits bottom end with the front end of the top edge 133 and the top end ofthe front edge 138 being interconnected by a linear portion 141 that issloped downwardly in a direction from the front end of the top edge 133to the top end of the front edge 138.

In the illustrated embodiment, the side wall 130 is configured toinclude a generally U-shaped gap 140. In particular, as can be seen inFIG. 4, the U-shaped gap 140 is defined by: (1) the interior-facingsurface of the generally vertical rear edge 136 of the side wall 130;(2) the interior-facing surface of a generally C-shaped arcuate (havinga radius of curvature complementary to the support bar 112) rib 142having opposite ends 143 and 145 and extending from the bottom end ofthe vertical rear edge 136; and (3) the interior-facing surface of agenerally vertical arm 144 of the side wall 130 that extends generallyupwardly from the end 145 of the rib 142 generally in parallel to therear edge 136 of the side wall 130.

In the illustrated embodiment, a part of the vertical portion 116 of thesupport bar 112 and a part of the horizontal portion 118 of the supportbar 112 pass through the gap 140 in the side wall 130. In particular, ascan be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, when a part of the horizontal portion 118of the support bar 112 passes through the interior-facing surface of theC-shaped rib 142 and the vertical portion 116 of the support bar 112 ispositioned in the gap 140 of the side wall 130 of the label dispenser120, the circumference of the vertical portion 116 of the support bar112 is located between, and, preferably, in abutment with, both theinterior-facing surface of the rear edge 136 of the side wall 130 andthe interior-facing surface of the vertical arm 144 of the side wall130. This configuration, in combination with a notch 150 in the labelroll support arm 122 (which will be discussed in more detail below),locks the vertical portion 116 of the support bar 112 in place andprevents/restricts the label dispenser 120 from rotating relative to thesupport bar 112.

With reference to FIG. 3, at its distal end relative to the side wall130, the label roll support arm 122 of the label dispenser 120 includesa notch 150. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the notch 128 is generallyU-shaped, and creates top free ends 146 and 148 of the circumference ofthe label roll support arm 122 having a gap 152 therebetween. As can beseen in FIG. 3, this gap 152 created by the notch 150 in the label rollsupport arm 122 permits the inclined distal portion 119 of the supportbar 112 to pass therethrough and rotationally interlock the support bar112 and the label roll support arm 122. In particular, as shown in FIG.3, the distal portion 119 of the support bar 112 passes through andprotrudes from the gap 152 formed by the notch 150 and is locatedadjacent to (or may be in contact with) the top free ends 146 and 148 ofthe circumference of the label roll support arm 122.

With the distal portion 119 of the support bar 112 being located atleast in part in the gap 152 formed by the notch 150, forward rotationof the label roll support arm 122 is prevented/restricted by theabutment of the top free end 146 of the circumference of the label rollsupport arm 122 and one side of the distal portion 119 of the supportbar 112. By the same token, rearward rotation of the label roll supportarm 122 is prevented/restricted by the abutment of the top free end 148of the circumference of the label roll support arm 122 and the oppositeside of the distal portion 119 of the support bar 112. As such, thepassage of the distal portion 119 of the support bar 112 through thenotch 150 of the label roll support arm 122 advantageously locks thelabel roll support arm 122 in place, preventing the label roll supportarm 122 from inadvertently rotating when a user (e.g., a worker at aretail facility) pulls downwardly on the backing substrate 192 of thelabel rolls 190 to dispense one or more labels 195 from the label rolls190.

In the illustrated embodiment, the label roll support arm 122 has anincomplete (generally C-shaped) circumference, with a portion of thecircumference that would have been downward-facing being absent. Assuch, the bottom free ends 147 and 149 of the circumference of the labelroll support arm 122 have a gap 154 therebetween. The hollow interior124 of the label roll support arm 122, coupled with the label rollsupport arm 122 having the gap 154 in its circumference, permit thelabel dispenser 120 (e.g., when including four label rolls 190 fullystocked with labels 195) to be easily slid onto the support bar 112 andto be easily slid off the support bar 112 (e.g., to replace labels rolls190 no longer having any labels 195 with new label rolls 190 that arefully stocked with labels 195).

With reference to FIG. 3, the label dispenser 120 may be slid onto thesupport bar 112 by inserting the distal portion 119 and a part of thehorizontal portion 118 of the support bar 112 through the gap 140 in theside wall 130 of the label dispenser 120 and into the hollow interior124 of the label roll support arm 122. After the distal portion 119 anda part of the horizontal portion 118 of the support bar 112 are insertedthrough the gap 140 in the side wall 130 into the hollow interior 124 ofthe label roll support arm 122, the distal portion 119 of the supportbar 112 may be slid along almost the entire length of the hollowinterior 124 of the label roll support arm 122 until the distal portion119 of the support bar 112 passes through the notch 150 and at least inpart protrudes outwardly and generally upwardly from the hollow interior124 of the label roll support arm 122, as shown in FIG. 3.

Since the outer circumference of the support bar 112 and the innercircumference of the label roll support arm 122 are substantiallysimilar in size, and since the distal portion 119 of the support bar 112is inclined relative to the horizontal portion 118 of the support bar112, the gap 154 in the circumference of the label roll support arm 122facilitates the insertion of the support bar 112 into the hollowinterior 124 of the label roll support arm 122. In particular, when thedistal portion 119 of the support bar 112 is inserted into the hollowinterior 124 of the label roll support arm 122, at least the distalportion 119 of the support bar 112 (and, possibly, a part of thehorizontal portion 118 of the support bar 112) is permitted to passthrough the gap 154 in the circumference of the label roll support arm122. Conversely, given the relative dimensions of the support bar 112and the hollow interior 124 of the label roll support arm 122, if thegap 154 were absent such that the label roll support arm 122 had acomplete circumference, it would have been difficult to insert thehorizontal and distal portions of the support bar 112, which are angledrelative each other, into the generally cylindrical-shaped hollowinterior 124 of the label roll support arm 122 if the label roll supportarm 122 had a complete circumference and lacked the gap 154.

In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the label rollsupport arm 122 has a length that is sufficient to support four labelrolls 190 thereon. It will be appreciated that the label roll supportarm 122 may be longer in certain implementations to accommodate morethan four label rolls 190, and may be shorter in certain implementationsto accommodate fewer than four label rolls 190.

With reference to FIG. 5, a typical label roll 190 includes a backingsubstrate 192. The backing substrate 192 includes an outward-facingsurface having labels 195 removably attached thereto by an adhesive thatpermits the labels 195 to be peeled by a user from the backing substrate192. An individual label 195 of a label roll 190 may include one side(visible in FIG. 5) having printed indicia (e.g., Fragile, Refrigerate,Keep Frozen, Heavy, Alcohol, Substitution, etc.) and/or a certain color(e.g., red, green, yellow, black, etc.) thereon, and an opposite side(not visible in FIG. 5 but visible in FIG. 8) having an adhesivematerial thereon that permits the label 195 to be detachably attached tothe backing substrate 192 and, after being peeled from the backingsubstrate 192 of the label roll 190 by a user, to be attached to anexterior surface of the packaging of a consumer product or to a box/toteused for transporting the consumer product.

In the illustrated embodiment, the label dispenser 120 includes a labelguide arm 160 for facilitating the separation of the labels 195 of thelabel rolls 190 from the backing substrates 192 of the label rolls 190.In the illustrated embodiment, the label guide arm 160 includes an upperportion 162 and a lower portion 164. While the lower portion 164 hasbeen illustrated as having a generally arcuate shape and the upperportion 162 has been illustrated as being in the shape of a straightline that is not co-linear with the arc of curvature of the lowerportion 164, it will be appreciated that the shape of the variousfeatures of the label dispenser 120 has been shown by way of exampleonly, and that other shapes may be used in alternative embodiments.

With reference to FIG. 3, the lower portion 164 of the label guide arm160 includes four openings 132. Each of the openings 132 is generallyrectangular in shape and has an overall height and width that issufficient to permit a leading portion of the backing substrate 192 of alabel roll 190 to pass therethrough. In the illustrated embodiment,openings 132 that are located adjacent to one another are separated fromeach other by a rib 172, with the rib 172 defining one side of theperimeter of such openings 132. The lower portion 164 of the label guidearm 160 includes a free edge 170 located below each opening 132, suchthat the free edge 170 defines a bottom side of the perimeter of eachopening 132.

Located between the ribs 172 and recessed relative to the forward-facingsurface of the lower portion 164 of the label guide arm 160 is a slopedsurface 174 that extends forwardly and downwardly from the free edge170. As described in more detail below, in some embodiments, the freeedge 170 of the lower portion 164 of the label guide arm 160 facilitatesseparation of a leading edge 197 of a leading peelable label 195 of thelabel roll 190 from the outward-facing surface of the backing substrate192 when a user pulls the backing substrate 192 in a downward directionthrough the opening 132 of the lower portion 164 of the label guide arm160. To that end, in the illustrated embodiment, the sloped surface 174extending between the ribs 172 and forwardly/downwardly from the freeedge 170 is a straight, non-curved surface, creating an effect akin to arazor's edge that both separates the label 195 from the backingsubstrate 192 and guides the label 195 in a direction away from thebacking substrate 192. However, it will be appreciated that the slopedsurface 174 may not be in the shape of a single straight line in someembodiments, and may include a curved portion or may be in the form oftwo straight lines that are at different angles relative to a horizontalplane.

As mentioned above, FIG. 5 illustrates a label dispenser 120 mounted ona support bar 112 (which is in turn mounted to a cart 110 or anothersupport structure via a bracket 113) and having four label rolls 190thereon. In particular, as can be seen in FIG. 5, each of the labelrolls 190 includes a generally circular inner opening 191 defined by theinwardly-facing surface of the backing substrate 192. The opening 191 ofeach label roll 190 has a diameter that is substantially similar butslightly larger than the diameter of the label roll support arm 122 ofthe label dispenser 120 and permits a user to slide the label rolls 190onto (and off) the label roll support arm 122 of the label dispenser120. After the label rolls 190 are slid by a user onto the label rollsupport arm 122, to bring the label rolls 190 into their initial labeldispensing position, the backing substrate 192 of each label roll 190 ispulled by the worker over the upper portion 162 of the label guide arm160 and into a respective one of the openings 132 of the lower portion164 of the label guide arm 160, as shown in FIG. 5. With the label rolls190 being on the label dispenser 120 as shown in FIG. 5, the labels 195of any one of the label rolls 190 may be dispensed (i.e., separated fromthe backing substrate 192) as described below.

In particular, with the label rolls 190 being in their initialdispensing position on the label dispenser 120 as shown in FIG. 5, auser wishing to dispense a label 195 from any one of the label rolls 190would grasp the leading portion of the backing substrate 192, i.e., theportion of the backing substrate 192 not having a label thereon andhanging below the lower portion 164 of the label guide arm 160, as shownin FIG. 6. After grasping the leading portion of the backing substrate192, the user would pull the leading portion of the backing substrate192 in a generally downward direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 6.

The generally downward force applied by the user to the leading portionof the backing substrate 192 causes the label roll 190 to rotate. Therotation of the label roll 190 on the label roll support arm 122 ispermitted, since the label roll support arm 122 and the inner opening191 of the label roll 190 are both generally circular, and since thelabel roll 190 is not attached to the label roll support arm 122 by anadhesive.

Notably, if the rotation of the label roll 190 that occurs in responseto the application of the downward force by the user were to cause acorresponding forward rotation of the label roll support arm 122, themutual rotation of the label roll 190 and the label roll support arm 122would not create the friction that is necessary to unwind the backingsubstrate 192 from the label roll 190. In the illustrated embodiments,however, the forward rotation of the label roll 190 that occurs inresponse to the application of the downward force by the user does notcause a corresponding forward rotation of the label roll support arm 122since, as described below, the forward (and rearward) rotation of thelabel roll support arm 122 is advantageously restricted by the distalportion 119 of the support bar 112 passing through the notch 150 of thelabel roll support arm 122 and being interlocked in the gap 152 betweenthe top free ends 146 and 148 of the circumference of the label rollsupport arm 122.

As described above, the forward (and rearward) rotation of the labelroll support arm 122 is additionally advantageously restricted by thevertical portion 116 of the support bar 112 being interlocked in the gap140 between the interior-facing surface of the rear edge 136 of the sidewall 130 and the interior-facing surface of the vertical arm 144 of theside wall 130. As such, the label roll support arm 122 remains in placeand does not rotate during the rotation of the label roll 190 thatoccurs in response to the application of the downward force by the user,and the friction between the inward-facing surface of the backingsubstrate 192 of the label roll 190 and the circumference of the labelroll support arm 122 permits the label roll 190 to rotate forwardlyindependently of the label roll support arm 122 and to permit thebacking substrate 192 to be unwound from the label roll 190.

With reference to FIG. 6, while the user pulls the backing substrate 192of the label roll 190 downwardly, more and more of the backing substrate192 unwinds from the label roll 190 and passes through the opening 132in the lower portion 164 of the label guide arm 160 until the leadingedge 197 of the leading label 195 of the label roll 190 comes intoabutment with the free edge 170 of the lower portion 164 of the labelguide arm 160. Then, with the user is still pulling the backingsubstrate 192 generally downwardly, the backing substrate 192 continuesto unwind from the label roll 190 and the leading edge 197 is pulledagainst the free edge 170 of the lower portion 164 of the label guidearm 160, such that the free edge 170, due to its thin profile, is ableto get in-between the leading edge 197 of the label 195 and theoutwardly-facing surface of the backing substrate 192, and slide underthe leading edge 197 of the label 195 to initiate the separation of theadhesive downward-facing surface 199 of the label 195 from theoutwardly-facing surface of the backing substrate 192, as shown in FIG.6.

As discussed above, the label guide arm 160 includes a lower portion 164having a generally arcuate contour and an upper portion 162 in the shapeof a straight line that is not co-linear with the arc of curvature ofthe lower portion 164. As a result, the label guide arm 160 includes anedge 163 at the transition between the lowermost surface of the upperportion 162 and the uppermost surface of the lower portion 164. As canbe seen in FIGS. 5-8, this edge 163 is located above the opening 132through which the backing substrate 192 is fed.

In some embodiments, as the user pulls the backing substrate 192 of thelabel roll 190 downwardly, more and more of the backing substrate 192unwinds from the label roll 190 and slides over the surface of thelinear upper portion 162 of the label guide arm 160 until the backingsubstrate 192 slides over the edge 163 between the upper portion 162 andthe lower portion 164. In one aspect, as more and more of the backingsubstrate 192 is pulled through the opening 132, the initial separationof the leading edge 197 of the label 195 from the outwardly-facingsurface of the backing substrate 192 does not occur at the free edge 170defining the bottom side of the perimeter of the opening 132, but occursat the edge 163 located above the opening 132, due to the differentangular orientations of the linear upper portion 162 and the arcuatelower portion 164 of the label guide arm 160.

After the separation of the leading edge 197 of the label 195 from thebacking substrate 192 is initiated, the sloped surface 174 of the lowerportion 164 of the label guide arm 160 guides the downward-facingadhesive surface 199 of the label 195 to slide over it, whichfacilitates the spatial separation between the label 195 and the backingsubstrate 192. In other words, as the user continues to pull the backingsubstrate 192 of the label roll 190 generally downwardly/forwardly, moreand more of the backing substrate 192 unwinds from the label roll 190and passes through the opening 132 in the lower portion 164 of the labelguide arm 160, and more and more of the label 195 separates from thebacking substrate 192 by arcuate surface of the lower portion 164(located between the edge 163 and the upper perimeter of the opening132) guiding the portion of the label 195 separated from the backingsubstrate 192 in a direction away from the backing substrate 192, asshown in FIG. 7.

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, as the user continues to pull thebacking substrate 192 of the label roll 190 generally in adownward/forward direction relative to the position of the backingsubstrate 192 shown in FIG. 7, a more and more of the backing substrate192 unwinds from the label roll 190 and passes through the opening 132in the lower portion 164 of the label guide arm 160, and as more andmore of the label 195 separates from the backing substrate 192, thelabel 195 will fully separate from the backing substrate 192. However,the label 195 does not simply fall onto the floor after being fullyseparated from the backing substrate 192. Instead, due to the arcuatesurface of the lower portion 164 of the label guide arm 160 guiding theportion of the label 195 being separated from the backing substrate 192,a portion of the adhesive surface 199 of the label 195 proximate thetrailing edge 198 of the label 195 remains attached to the lower portion164 of the label guide arm 160 as shown in FIG. 8, permitting the userto conveniently detach the label 195 from the lower portion 164 of thelabel guide arm 160 by peeling the label 195 in the direction shown bythe arrow in FIG. 8. After the leading label 195 is detached from thelabel roll 190, the user can detach more labels 195 from any of thelabel rolls 190 by repeating the process described above with referenceto FIGS. 6-8

In view of the foregoing, the present application describes labeldispensers that may support several label rolls thereon, and which aremountable to product-transporting carts at retail facilities to improvethe efficiency of the process of applying various labels to consumerproducts and product packaging/shipping containers by the workers of theretail facilities. The increase in worker efficiency provided by thelabel dispensers described herein will result in a significant operationcost savings to the retailers.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of othermodifications, alterations, and combinations can also be made withrespect to the above-described embodiments without departing from thescope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, andcombinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventiveconcept.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for dispensing labels from at least onelabel roll, the system comprising: a cart for transporting consumerproducts, the cart including a support bar coupled thereto; and a labeldispenser mounted on the support bar and configured to facilitate a userto dispense the labels from the at least one label roll, the at leastone label roll including a backing substrate and peelable labelsdetachably attached to the backing substrate, the label dispensercomprising: a label roll support arm configured to support at least onelabel roll thereon, the label roll support arm including: a hollowinterior configured to permit a horizontal portion of the support bar topass therethrough; and a notch configured to permit an inclined distalportion of the support bar to pass therethrough; and a label guide armincluding: an upper portion configured to support a downward-facingsurface of the backing substrate of the at least one label roll thereon;a lower portion including at least one opening configured to permit aleading portion of the backing substrate of the at least one label rollto pass therethrough; an edge configured to facilitate separation of aleading peelable label of the at least one label roll from anoutward-facing surface of the backing substrate at the leading portionof the backing substrate of the at least one label roll in response to aforce applied by the user to the leading portion of the backingsubstrate of the at least one label roll to pull the leading portion ofthe backing substrate of the at least one label roll through the atleast one opening of the label guide arm; and a side wallinterconnecting the label roll support arm and the label guide arm, theside wall including a gap that permits a vertical portion of the supportbar to pass therethrough.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein: the supportbar is non-detachably mounted relative to the cart; and the labeldispenser is detachably coupled relative to the cart via the supportbar.
 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a bracketnon-detachably coupled to the cart, wherein the support bar isnon-detachably coupled to the support bracket.
 4. The system of claim 1,wherein the inclined distal portion of the support bar passing throughthe notch in the label roll support arm is configured to: restrict thelabel dispenser from sliding off the support bar; and restrict the atleast one label roll from sliding off the label roll support arm.
 5. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the label roll support arm is configured asan elongated cylinder that permits the at least one label roll to freelyrotate on the label roll support arm.
 6. The system of claim 5, whereinthe elongated cylinder has an incomplete perimeter such that a portionof a circumference of the elongated cylinder is absent to create twoopposing top free ends of the circumference and two opposing bottom freeends of the circumference, the top free ends having a first gaptherebetween and the bottom free ends having a second gap therebetween.7. The system of claim 6, wherein: the inclined distal portion of thesupport bar passing through the notch passes through the first gapbetween the top free ends; forward rotation of the label roll supportarm is restricted by an abutment of one of the top free ends and a firstside of the support bar; and rearward rotation of the label roll supportarm is restricted by an abutment of another one of the top free ends anda second side of the support bar opposite to the first side.
 8. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the side wall of the label guide arm includesa top edge, a bottom edge opposite the top edge, a rear edge, and afront edge, wherein: the front edge is generally arcuate from a top endof the front edge to a bottom end of the front edge, and the top edge ofthe side wall is interconnected with the top end of the front edge by alinear portion that slopes downwardly from the top edge of the side wallin a direction toward the top end of the front edge of the side wall. 9.The system of claim 1, wherein the gap in the side wall is defined by:an interiorly-facing surface of a generally vertical rear edge of theside wall; an interiorly-facing surface of a generally C-shaped arcuaterib having opposite ends; and an interiorly-facing surface of agenerally vertical arm of the side wall, the generally vertical armextending generally upwardly from one of the ends of the C-shapedarcuate rib in a direction that is generally parallel to the rear edgeof the side wall.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the horizontalportion of the support bar passes through an interior-facing surface ofthe C-shaped arcuate rib, and wherein the vertical portion of thesupport bar is positioned in abutment with both the interiorly-facingsurface of the rear edge of the side wall and the interiorly-facingsurface of the vertical arm of the side wall to restrict the labeldispenser from rotating relative to the support bar.
 11. The system ofclaim 1, wherein, the lower portion of the label guide arm is generallyarcuate and the upper portion of the label guide arm is a straight andnot co-linear with an arc of curvature of the lower portion.
 12. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening is a plurality ofopenings, wherein adjacent openings are separated from each other by arib that defines one side of a perimeter of the adjacent openings, andwherein the edge is located below each opening such that the edgedefines a bottom side of the perimeter of each opening.
 13. The systemof claim 1, wherein the label guide arm further includes a slopedsurface that is located between ribs separating the adjacent openingsand that extends forwardly and downwardly relative to the edge thatdefines the bottom side of the perimeter of each opening.
 14. A methodfor dispensing labels from at least one label roll, the methodcomprising: providing a cart for transporting consumer products, thecart including a support bar coupled thereto; and providing a labeldispenser mounted on the support bar and configured to facilitate a userto dispense the labels from the at least one label roll, the at leastone label roll including a backing substrate and peelable labelsdetachably attached to the backing substrate, the label dispensercomprising: a label roll support arm configured to support at least onelabel roll thereon, the label roll support arm including: a hollowinterior configured to permit a horizontal portion of the support bar topass therethrough; and a notch configured to permit an inclined distalportion of the support bar to pass therethrough; and a label guide armincluding: an upper portion configured to support a downward-facingsurface of the backing substrate of the at least one label roll thereon;a lower portion including at least one opening configured to permit aleading portion of the backing substrate of the at least one label rollto pass therethrough; an edge configured to facilitate separation of aleading peelable label of the at least one label roll from anoutward-facing surface of the backing substrate at the leading portionof the backing substrate of the at least one label roll; and a side wallinterconnecting the label roll support arm and the label guide arm, theside wall including a gap that permits a vertical portion of the supportbar to pass therethrough; in response to a force applied by the user tothe leading portion of the backing substrate of the at least one labelroll to pull the leading portion of the backing substrate of the atleast one label roll through the at least one opening of the label guidearm, separating, by the edge, the leading peelable label of the at leastone label roll from the outward-facing surface of the backing substrateat the leading portion of the backing substrate of the at least onelabel roll.
 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising positioningthe at least one label roll on the label dispenser such that the backingsubstrate passes over the upper portion of the label guide arm, throughthe at least one opening, and under the lower portion of the label guidearm.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the separating of the leadingpeelable label of the at least one label roll from the outward-facingsurface of the backing substrate at the leading portion of the backingsubstrate of the at least one label roll further comprises the free edgesliding under a leading edge of the leading peelable label to initiatethe separating of the leading peelable label of the at least one labelroll from the outward-facing surface of the backing substrate.
 17. Themethod of claim 16, wherein in response to an initiation of theseparating of the leading peelable label of the at least one label rollfrom the outward-facing surface of the backing substrate, the leadingedge of the leading peelable label slides over the lower portion of thelabel guide arm.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the leadingpeelable label remains attached to the lower portion of the label guidearm after the leading peelable label is fully separated from theoutward-facing surface of the backing substrate; and further comprisingpermitting the user to detach the leading peelable label from the lowerportion of the label guide arm by pulling the leading peelable label ina direction away from the lower portion of the label guide arm.
 19. Themethod of claim 14, further comprising permitting the at least one labelroll to rotate on the label roll support arm in response to the forceapplied by the user to the leading portion of the backing substrate ofthe at least one label roll to pull the leading portion of the backingsubstrate of the at least one label roll through the at least oneopening of the label guide arm.
 20. The method of claim 14, wherein: thelabel roll support arm is configured as an elongated cylinder thatpermits the at least one label roll to freely rotate on the label rollsupport arm; the elongated cylinder has an incomplete perimeter suchthat a portion of a circumference of the elongated cylinder is absent tocreate two opposing top free ends of the circumference and two opposingbottom free ends of the circumference, the top free ends having a firstgap therebetween and the bottom free ends having a second gaptherebetween; and the inclined distal portion of the support bar passingthrough the notch passes through the first gap between the top freeends; and further comprising, in response to the force applied by theuser to the leading portion of the backing substrate of the at least onelabel roll to pull the leading portion of the backing substrate of theat least one label roll through the at least one opening of the labelguide arm: restricting forward rotation of the label roll support arm byan abutment of one of the top free ends and a first side of the supportbar; and restricting rearward rotation of the label roll support arm byan abutment of another one of the top free ends and a second side of thesupport bar opposite to the first side.